Man jailed for theft

A 27-year-old man was sentenced to jail for two months after he pleaded guilty to two charges of stealing car batteries.

Awangku Harni bin Pg Affendy pleaded for a fine to be imposed but Senior Magistrate Haji Nabil said similar cases have been prevalent lately and deterrence should be effected immediately with a custodial sentence.

The defendant’s desperation to sustain his family by stealing only made his situation worse, added the Senior Magistrate.

In the wee hours of September 13, riding his bicycle the defendant reached Kampong Tempuan Ugas Danau, Tutong where he found an area of a house that was quite dark.

Using this to his advantage, he went to the rear of the house where he found a 120A car battery in the open garage.

He took the battery and sold it to a scrap metal shop in Kampong Danau the next day. The owner found his battery missing and went to investigate himself at the nearby scrap metal shop and found the battery up for sale.

The shopkeeper told the owner that he bought it from a man named ‘Acang’ who lived in Kampong Keramut.

This led to police investigations which identified the defendant as ‘Acang’ and he was arrested on September 15.

Police investigation also found that the defendant stole two car batteries from the compound of another house in Kampong Tempuan Ugas Danau, Tutong around the same time.